Mizuki collapsed onto the ground, letting out a long breath as she watched the disappearing gate of the Infinity Castle.
She was scared to death.
She turned her head toward Kochou Shinobu: "How are you here, Shinobu..."
Before she could fully turn around, a gust of wind mixed with the scent of herbs rushed toward her face, and her body was embraced by a gentle chest.
Mizuki's eyes widened slightly, and a hint of surprise appeared on her pale face, which was still smeared with blood.
"That's wonderful..." Kochou Shinobu pressed her forehead against Mizuki's back, her voice trembling slightly.
"Shinobu..." Mizuki's look of surprise faded slightly, her furrowed brows smoothed out, and a faint smile touched her lips.
She gently placed her hands on Kochou Shinobu's hands wrapped around her neck: "Thank you for coming to save me..."
"idiot..."
The warm morning sunlight shone on Mizuki's face, making her squint her eyes, tired from the long night.
Mizuki gently closed her eyes, still feeling Kochou Shinobu's rapidly beating heart against her back.
She came to save her, didn't she?
As soon as she got the news, she rushed over from the Butterfly Mansion without stopping; although it took them a long time to leave originally, Shinobu arrived in just one night.
One can imagine how hard she worked.
As Mizuki closed her eyes, her blood-matted white hair reverted to crimson.
Mizuki closed her eyes, gently kneading Kochou Shinobu's young, pale wrist, and softly spoke: "Shinobu, I like you..."
"..."
Mizuki could feel Kochou Shinobu's body, pressed against her back, stiffen slightly.
Mizuki opened her eyes, and a hint of helplessness flashed in her crimson double pupils.
Seems I scared Shinobu a little.
Well, confessing something like that certainly causes trouble.
Kochou Shinobu lowered her head, tightening her grip on Mizuki's yukata, and lightly pursed her lips: "I... I like... Mizuki too..."
Mizuki's eyes widened further; she could feel that sentiment.
It seemed she had misunderstood all along; she should have been more honest... But she couldn't really be blamed. Living in a daze for hundreds of years, it was too much to ask her to think about such impractical things.
She didn't want to fall for someone, accidentally expose her identity, and then be treated like a monster.
Thankfully, they had already entered the Twentieth Century.
After confessing, what should happen next?
Mizuki's mind was blank; she had absolutely no experience.
What about her past life?
Did she have experience in her past life?
She couldn't remember... Mizuki was almost crying over her own stupidity.
The atmosphere seemed to have become a little strange, making Mizuki feel unable to speak.
Kochou Shinobu probably felt the same way, and the two of them sat silently on the open ground.
Finally, just as Mizuki resolved to start a conversation, the rustling sound of clothes brushing against leaves echoed through the woods.
Someone was coming.
Mizuki's perception was much stronger than Kochou Shinobu's, but she didn't know how to speak.
Fortunately, Tanjirou's voice, full of enthusiasm mixed with anxiety, reached their ears.
"Young Miss Mizuki!"
Hearing Tanjirou's voice, the two simultaneously turned their heads to look.
A dust-covered Tanjirou burst out of the woods and immediately stopped short when he saw the two of them sitting unharmed on the ground.
"That's great~" Tanjirou let out a sigh of relief. He looked at Mizuki, whose face and body were covered in blood. "Are you alright, Young Miss Mizuki?"
But the moment he asked, he regretted it.
What a question. Young Miss Mizuki could recover from injuries like this instantly.
Kochou Shinobu also snapped out of the moment because of Tanjirou's words, pulling at Mizuki's yukata: "You weren't hurt, were you?"
"You're covered in blood..."
Her yukata could be wrung out for blood.
Thanks to Tanjirou's interruption, the strange atmosphere from earlier eased considerably.
Mizuki shook her head and smiled: "I'm fine. Minor injuries like this recovered long ago."
Her recovery speed couldn't compare to Kokushibou's, but among the Upper Ranks, she could still rank in the top three.
At the very least, Mizuki was confident she could surpass Akaza's regeneration speed.
Tanjirou immediately dismissed his previous thoughts and smiled brightly: "That's great, everyone is safe and sound."
Tanjirou was just that kind of person—always worrying about others.
Tanjirou belatedly realized: "Speaking of which, Young Miss Shinobu, how did..."
Before he could finish speaking, a rustling sound came from the woods behind him.
"PIG ASSAULT!!"
The Pig-headed Boy, Inosuke, rammed his head into Tanjirou's waist, sending him flying.
Tanjirou's eyes bulged out, and he rolled on the ground, clutching his aching back.
Mizuki: "..."
Kochou Shinobu: "..."
"Where is Upper Rank One?" Inosuke held his twin blades, looking left and right. "I'm gonna chop off his head!"
"No~ You guys go!" Zenitsu's timid voice came from the back. "I actually twisted my ankle during the fight just now."
Genya's voice followed: "Are you an idiot? The sun is up, where would a demon be?"
Mizuki's mouth twitched. These guys really knew how to lighten the mood.
No matter how bad the atmosphere was, with these idiots around, it was hard not to liven up.
Although it was a bit headache-inducing.
Mizuki couldn't help but rub her forehead.
With such a commotion, it wasn't appropriate for the two of them to keep sitting, so Kochou Shinobu helped Mizuki stand up.
Mizuki instinctively put her hand on Shinobu, only realizing it after standing up.
She chuckled: "I really am not injured."
Kochou Shinobu also couldn't help but laugh: "It was just instinct..."
"Little Shinobu~" From far away, Kanroji Mitsuri's tearful voice drifted over.
The two turned their heads to look, and a pink and green figure emerged from the woods and immediately threw herself into Kochou Shinobu's arms.
Kanroji Mitsuri clung to Kochou Shinobu, tearfully complaining: "It was so scary~"
"It was Upper Rank Four~"
"He was so strong~"
"I was almost eaten~"
Kochou Shinobu affectionately stroked her head: "Mitsuri worked very hard."
Even though Mitsuri was actually a year older.
Mizuki smiled slightly and asked Tanjirou: "Right, Tanjirou, did you guys resolve your fight?"
Tanjirou's beaming smile froze.
Zenitsu didn't overthink it and immediately complained: "We had already chopped off the Clone's head, but that Crested Head guy let the main body escape."
Genya defended himself: "Who knew that guy's neck was so hard? I was about to get him, but then an orange light suddenly burst out of the ground, and by the time I chased after it, he had completely vanished."
Zenitsu rolled his eyes: "What 'orange light'? Can he just disappear into thin air?"
"You must be seeing things."
Genya was flushed red and couldn't think of a rebuttal.
A whole group of people helped create a perfect opportunity for him, yet he still let the guy get away.
He couldn't say anything in defense.
Tanjirou quickly interjected to smooth things over: "Genya wouldn't have mistaken it. I think that orange light was probably some kind of Blood Demon Art."
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